Iron in deep brain nuclei in migraine? CAMERA follow-up MRI findings

IntroductionIn the CAMERA population-based MRI study, migraineurs below the age of 50 had decreased T2-values indicative of increased iron deposition in several deep brain nuclei. Longer migraine history was associated with lower T2-values, suggesting an association between migraine attacks and iron accumulation. In the present nine-year follow-up study of the CAMERA cohort we re-measured the T2-values in deep brain nuclei to assess the evolution over time.MethodsBaseline and follow-up T2-values measured in several basal ganglia of 128 participants (38 control, 90 migraine) were analyzed using quantitative T2 measurements and multivariate regression analysis.ResultsT2-values of most deep brain nuclei were increased – instead of an expected further decrease when only age-related iron accumulation would have played a role – compared to baseline (both among controls and migraineurs) and were not different in either group. In migraineurs, no differences were found by gender, migraine severity or subtype.Concl...